Dead Innocence: Tobias Todd
by DieHardGuardGirl
Summary: Now that Sweeney Todd is dead, the killings have come to an end and there is peace on Fleet Street. ...But not for long. What's to become of young Toby?
1. Sealed Fate

Chapter 1: Sealed Fate

Anthony and Johanna burst through the dark wooden door, leading a small squad of the officers of the guard. They froze in their tracks. No one dared move.

The air was thick and smelled of smoke and death. Amidst bloody, twisted corpses stood a small boy holding a bloody razor. Wide-eyed, he turned to face them. His hair was completely white and standing on-end, and he was dressed all in red.

"Pardon me, gentlemen, but you may not enter here." His gaze was unfixed, and he spoke slowly. "My mistress wouldn't allow it. You see, there's work to be done…so much work…to be done…" He was not angry or aggressive. He was merely a child; a shy, sad, lonely child. A pitiful creature, led astray by the world.

He limped over to a rusty, wicked-looking grinder. "Three times," he said. "That's the secret. Three times for them to be juicy and tender." He looked up at Johanna with hollow eyes. "Three times through the grinder."

Johanna gave a soft cry as he began violently turning the crank. The grinder creaked and scratched as he chanted "Smoothly…smoothly…"

In panic, the officers backed out through the door and locked it. Inside Mrs. Lovett's parlor, they turned to the young sailor and his pretty lass.

"You said that the killer was a man, around forty years old, with pale skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. Is that child supposed to be this barber, this Sweeney Todd?"

"N-no sir," said Anthony, holding Johanna closer to him. "Mr. Todd was dead…dead on the floor…t-that child is…why, he must be young Tobias…"

_Tobias Ragg was a simple lad. "Simple as a baby lamb," Mrs. Lovett used to say. Toby grew up on the streets. He never knew what the words "family" or "home" really meant, but he always seemed a happy boy. After all, he'd never known any better. He never wanted anything, he never had a selfish thought. He seemed to have an aura of innocence and hope about him._

_A man named Signor Pirelli found him one day and took him in. Well, put him to work, really. Toby became his assistant. It was his job to sing and advertise for Signor Pirelli's Miracle Elixir. After all, Toby was young and cute, plus he had a slight limp and pathetic air about him. It was good for business. _

_Signor Pirelli was cruel to Toby, but it was better than being on the street. Well, that's what the Signor told him. Toby believed him. _

_A curious man, Mr. Todd, challenged Pirelli one day. They had a shaving contest; it was all very exciting for young Toby. When Pirelli lost, he was furious. After a sound beating, he dragged Toby down to Fleet Street to discuss some business with Mr. Todd. There, a kind lady named Mrs. Lovett gave Toby some food, and even some gin! Toby had never had gin before, and dozed off fairly quickly. He awoke to find Pirelli gone, but Mrs. Lovett willing to take him in not as a slave, but a son._

_Really, he was more of a pet than anything else, but he loved Mrs. Lovett dearly, and loved helping her serve the delicious meat pies she made. Toby was happier than ever, and was allowed to eat all the pies he wanted. When Mrs. Lovett ruffled his fluffy red hair or sang him tunes on her fancy new organ, he would think to himself "How lucky I am. The good Lord sent me a mum and a home…"_

_Then, there was Mr. Todd…_

Tobias set down the razor and looked at his hands. Bloodstains smeared his now pale palms. He looked over at the body of Mr. Todd. Slowly, he walked over and sank to his knees next to the corpse. Hot tears burned his cheeks.

"I'm sorry mum," he said brokenly. "I'm sorry, sorry, sorry…" He took Mr. Todd's hand. It was pale and stained with blood, just like his own. "Look now, look at my hand…look at me, mum, look!" He threw down Mr. Todd's dead, cold arm. "I'm him! I'm Mr. Todd!" tears streamed down his face as he yelled at the sky.

Toby never hated anything. He didn't hate his would-be parents for abandoning him, he didn't hate Pirelli for beating him…

But Mr. Todd was the exception.

Furiously, Toby grabbed the bloody collar of Mr. Todd's shirt and dragged him across the yard to the bake oven. "You think I don't know what you did," he said in a shaking voice to the lifeless form of Sweeney Todd. "But I do, I heard it all, I saw it, I saw you!"

His anger suddenly drained from him as he turned to the big rusty doors of the bake oven. He put his hands on the door and leaned his head against it. "You killed her…" He cried and slid down to the ground, leaving twin trails of blood from his hands on the metal door. Nuzzling his head on the icy iron door, he softly cooed to it. "Nothin's gonna harm you…not while I'm around…"

With a crooked smile, he slowly turned to the corpse beside him. "Well Mr. Todd, you first then. There's work to be done, so much work to be done…" He stood and limped over to the razor. His eyes widened and his smile grew when he held it.

"…Hello friend!"


	2. The Family Business

Chapter 2: The Family Business

"Tobias…so changed!" Toby slipped through the door silently while Anthony spoke. "He was always such a happy child…"

Each officer died silently, and Toby worked his way up to the officer speaking with Anthony and Johanna.

Johanna screamed as a pale hand appeared over the officer's shoulder and slit his throat. Blood poured over Toby's arm. The officer sank to the ground, revealing the small, bloody child.

Anthony wrapped his arms around Johanna, trying to protect her. "T-Tobias…" he breathed.

"Sorry, Mr. Hope, sir, but I've much work to do." He took a step towards the sailor.

"Please!" screamed Johanna. "Please, please don't hurt him!" Toby looked into her eyes. "I beg of you, sir, please don't hurt him."

Slowly, Toby extended his arm, pointing the razor at them. They shrunk back against the wall.

"Go now, both of you! Next time, I'm afraid I can't let you go. Go now, and tell no one what you've seen."

"No one will ever know!" said Johanna with tears streaming down her face.

Toby looked at Anthony. "No one…" Anthony whispered, eyes wide.

Toby lowered the razor, and the couple ran.

The next day, Mrs. Lovett's meat pie shop had more pies than ever. Toby ran through the crowd, serving up fresh pies with ale.

"Toby!"

He ran to a dark-haired woman who often spoke with Mrs. Lovett. "Where is Nellie, dear?"

Toby smiled his same, cheerful smile. "Oh, good news, mum! She's gone and eloped with Mr. Todd! They're livin' by the sea, now."

"Why dear, that's wonderful! But what's to become of you, lad?"

"I'm running the pie shop now! The barber shop, too. I'm old enough to take care of me self now."

"Why, so you are! Well congratulations, boy."

"Thank you, mum!"

No one asked about young Toby's hair, though everyone stared. Toby acted perfectly normal and happy as ever, but something seemed odd and foreboding about him. He just wasn't the same.

"Thank you ladies and gents! That's today's lot, come again tomorrow!" He still had two whole trays of pies, but he had to close up early so he could work the barbershop.

A man poked his head in the small shop's door. "Is this Mr. Todd's barber shop?"

"That it is, sir! No one in the chair, 'ave a seat!"

"Is Mr. Todd here?"

"I'm 'im, sir! Name's Tobias Todd."

"Glad to meet you, sir! I've heard so much about you, I'd only assumed you were older." The man sat down.

"People tell me that all the time, sir! But don't worry, you're in good 'ands!"

The man slumped down in the chair as blood poured over him. Toby spun the chair back and fourth thoughtfully. "Now what am I to do with you?" He looked around. How did Mr. Todd get these bodies downstairs? Toby began to pace. He stopped and stomped his foot. The floor was hollow.

"Another secret…" He inspected the chair and found a small lever. He pulled it and the chair spun and dumped the body through a small, secret chute.

Toby watched as it reset it's self. "hehe…hehehe…HA HA, YES!" He laughed madly. "I'm alive at last! And, ha ha, I'm full of joy!"

He fiercely thrust the razor upwards, holding the bloody blade high and letting the light catch it. Blood trickled from the blade over his pale wrist. He laughed and laughed as the music that nobody hears blasted triumphantly through his heart and soul.

Attend the tale of Tobias Todd

His skin was pale and his eye was odd.

He brought the killings to an end

But picked up the razor and business again.

He trod the path that Sweeney trod,

Did Tobias Todd.

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.


	3. Orphan

Chapter 3: Orphan

It had been a pretty good day for Tobias. Business was booming, and Toby need never worry about money again. He had a house, warm bed, food, money…everything he'd ever need.

But at what cost?

Toby lit a candle and stepped into the dark parlor. He set it on the harpsichord and sat down on the little bench. He ran his hands over the keys. Toby couldn't play, he's always just sang along with…

Mrs. Lovett.

By the time Toby opened the bake oven doors, there was nothing but bones left of her.

He glanced out the window at the little grave he'd made for his mum. He'd taken a knife and chopped it into a rolling pin to make a cross and buried what was left of Mrs. Lovett between the grinder and the bake oven.

"Sweet Polly Plunkett lay in the grass, cast her eyes heavenward sighing…" sang Toby softly in the candlelight. He closed the harpsichord and laid his head down on it. Absently, she stroked his prematurely white hair.

He was still just a child. What was the point of a warm parlor and money without a mum?

Mr. Todd and Mrs. Lovett were dead, but Toby was left behind. Why?

_Toby ambled over to the wooden door. It was getting dark. Where had Mrs. Lovett gone?_

_He pushed on the door. It didn't budge. He pushed harder, slamming his fist on the door._

_"Mrs. Lovett!" He called._

_A factory whistle slashed through the still night air as a bloody body tumbled through the wall right beside Toby._

_Toby screamed and stumbled backwards. "Mrs. Lovett! Mrs. Lovett, let me out!" He ran backwards and tripped. Frantically, he looked around. He spotted the old door that led down to the cellars._

_Mrs. Lovett warned him about those cellars, but whatever was down there couldn't possibly be as bad as the nightmare up here._

_Toby scrambled down into the cellars. He tripped and fell, tumbling down the stairs until he hit the dusty floor with a dull thud._

_He laid there, breathing hard. His once sunny red hair stood on end, stark white. Tears began streaming down his cheeks. Dead rats lay around him, but he didn't are look around or move._

_Toby laid there for what seemed like an eternity. The light sounds of a harpsichord floated down through the darkness to him. He could hear Mrs. Lovett's voice._

_"…I am a lass who alas loves a lad who alas has a lass in Canterbury…"_

_Slowly, timidly, Toby stirred. He got to his knees and started creeping back up the cellar stairs. Warily, he stuck his head through the door. His vision was unfocused. All he saw was flickering shadows, as if the only light was fire…_

_He stumbled forward in the smoky haze, softly singing along. "Is a row, dow, diddle dow day…t-tis a row dow diddle dow day…"_

_Another shrill whistle sounded. Toby jumped and let out a small cry. He stopped dead, not wanting to make a sound. "M-m-mrs. Lovett…m-mum…m-mum…" his calls were so soft that he could barely hear them._

_He stopped and listened. There was a soft, rustling sound, and a low huff of shallow breathing._

_"Mrs. Lovett…?" Toby whispered so quietly that is was hardly more than a whisp or air._

_"Hhh…hhh…hhe…lll…pp…"_

_"Who's there?" squeaked Toby softly. "Mum? Please come to me, mum…"_

_He took a few more shuffles forward._

_A white hand appeared, reaching for him. Toby stopped, transfixed and horrified. A man was reaching for him. He lifted his head. He was white as a ghost, white hair, white skin._

_The only other color was red. Deep, scarlet red that poured from his neck and mouth._

_The hand grabbed Toby's shirt. Toby slapped it off him, screaming once then backing away quickly. He tripped._

_Shaking his head, he sat up. He jumped back, eyes wide. A woman lay dead and bloody less than a foot away from him. He backed away until he hit something solid. He backed up against it, trying to put as much distance as possible between him and the dead woman._

_Toby glanced over his shoulder and did a double take. He backed up against another dead, blood-soaked body. He began shaking and screaming uncontrollably, scrambling away. Blood and death was all around him, he could not get away._

_Toby threw himself onto his feet and ran, completely off-balance. Stumbling but running desperately, he fled to the cellars._

_In the dark, he ran until he hit a corner. He sank to the ground and sat there, curled up. He was shaking and shivering as tears rolled down his face from his wide, horror-stricken eyes._

_As he sat there, alone in the dark, he cried and cried, knowing that this was the night he would die. These were the last few moments of his life._

_"Toby, where are you love?" Mrs. Lovett's voice rang out in the darkness._

_Toby scrambled to his feet. "H-here mum, here!" He called quietly. He started limping towards the stairs._

_"Where are ya lad?" Mr. Todd was with her. Toby backed into a wall and sank to the ground once more. He started shivering all over again. Mr. Todd was here…Mr. Todd…_

'_Nothin's gonna harm you, not while I'm around…" Mrs. Lovett's voice was like an angel's._

"_Tooobyyy…" Mr. Todd sounded like well, Mr. Todd. Mrs. Lovett was in danger, it wasn't safe to be alone with Mr. Todd, but Toby couldn't move. His eyes burned and he suddenly burst into tears again. Mrs. Lovett was going to die! No, no, no. And it was all Toby's fault. He ran his fingers through his pale white hair, ripping at it while his whole body shook with every sob._

_I promised nothing would ever harm you…not while I'm around. Nothin's gonna harm you…not while I'm around. Demons are prowling everywhere, nowadays…I'll send 'em howling, I don't care, I've got ways._

_Toby cried harder. He wished he was dead, he couldn't even run up to save his mum, the only person Toby had ever really cared about. The only person who ever really cared about Toby._

"_Die, damn you, die!"_

_Toby sat bolt upright. Mrs. Lovett? He ran up the cellar stairs and stopped at the door. He opened it a crack. "Mum!" he whispered. He opened the door wider to run out to her._

_Suddenly the wooden door opened with a snap. Mr. Todd stood there holding a bloody razor. Toby shut the door again in panic. He opened it a crack. He couldn't move, all he could do was watch._

_With every fiber of his being, Toby hated Mr. Todd. The only thing stronger than his hatred was his fear of Mr. Todd._

_Toby watched his mum die. As Mrs. Lovett died, so did Toby. Only Tobias remained. He couldn't see straight, couldn't think straight. Something bad was happening to him, but he knew one thing:_

_Toby did die that night, but Tobias refused to die. Patty cake, patty cake, barber man. Bake me a cake, no…no…bake me a pie. Twinkle twinkle razor blade, sink it through the necks you hate. When Mr. Todd does finally die, he'll make a most delightful pie…twinkle twinkle razor blade, sink it through the necks you hate._

Toby woke up crying. Used to be, when he woke up with a nightmare, Mrs. Lovett would sing to him, then pet his head while he fell asleep. Toby was alone in the world, now. He went out to her grave and fell asleep beside it,

There's a boy that no one sees.

There's a boy that lives alone,

There's a boy who weeps in silence for the life he's never known…

The life he'll never know.


	4. Time Heals, Blood Stains

Chapter 4: Time Heals, Blood Stains

Toby suddenly felt very cold.

Squinting, he sat up. He'd fallen asleep outside again. He was dripping wet. He looked up. It was raining. Lightning flashed above him and his mum's grave.

More often than not, Toby slept outside beside the rolling pin cross. Some nights were hot, others cold. He got sick, at first, but after a while he adjusted and didn't catch as many colds. His skin got paler and paler with each night.

Toby did not have the luxury of dreams. At night he was haunted by flashes of the past. A meat pie, a razor, a red muffler, a mum, a night, a corpse, an oven, a death…He constantly woke up in cold sweats, shaking uncontrollably. Lack of sleep deepened and darkened his eyes, until they were as sullen and black as Mr. Todd's.

His short stature and light voice were the only things about him that assured that he was a child. He stayed cheery, but withdrew more and more. He didn't try to make conversation with the customers anymore. He isolated himself and lived in solitude.

He liked baking and selling the pies. He still sang for Mrs. Lovett's meat pies in his cheerful, sad way. It reminded him of Mrs. Lovett. She wouldn't have wanted her business to die, she would have wanted Toby to keep it up…wouldn't she?

Was it the pie shop Toby was trying to keep alive? Did he really care/ Perhaps it was Mrs. Lovett he wanted to keep alive.

Toby tried not to think like that. What he i did /i know was that she would have wanted him to try to be happy.

Toby sang to himself as he rolled out dough for the pies.

You always told me just to do

The best I could, you did.

You always told me everything

Would be okay, you did.

Mrs. Lovett…

Well here I am and I just try

To do the best I can.

I'm here and hoping everything

Will be okay, again

Mrs. Lovett…

Goodbye Mrs. Lovett,

You're gone, and yet I'm here.

I'm fine, Mrs. Lovett, I'm fine.

I know I'll never hear your voice,

I'm all alone, I fear.

I still have reason to rejoice,

'Cause in a way, you're here

Mrs. Lovett…

And in that darkness when I'm blind

With what I can't forget.

It's always morning in my mind

I try to smile, not fret.

Mrs. Lovett.

And though I'll think of you I guess,

Until the day I die.

I think I miss you less and less

As every day goes by

Mrs. Lovett…

Wake up, Mrs. Lovett!

Another bright red day.

We learn, Mrs. Lovett,

To say

Goodbye…

In the evenings and late afternoon, Tobias ran the barbershop. He'd done the best he could to stay happy, to move on, to live.

But there were some things he could not forget, and he could not forgive.

Toby's mind ran in circles. He was angry, angry at everyone. They had loving families, they had lives. Live that Tobias wanted, lives that Tobias could take. The more he killed, the more he lived. Seeing blood on his hands and blade was a beautiful thing. Murder was one of the few things that made him happy anymore.

Toby looked down at his bloody palm one afternoon after killing a few people. It dripped slowly down his wrist as he stared at it. He stood and came face to face with a mirror. Blood, pale skin, black eyes gaped out at him.

"No!" He screamed, hitting the mirror off the wall. It fell and shattered, reflective shards bounced and glistened as they created a silver starburst in the ground by the door. Toby fell to his knees, his bloody hand resting limply in the shattered glass.

It was Mr. Todd in the mirror, no Toby. Tobias breathed raggedly and cried, tears rolling down his pale cheeks as his whole body shook.

"You shouldn't, you know…you shouldn't harm nobody…"

"A man…wot was bad…and who was leadin' ya, all unbeknownst into his evil deeds like."

"Nothin's gonna harm you, not while I'm around…."

"Nothin's gonna harm you…"

"Harm you…"


	5. Guilty Conscience

Chapter 5: Guilty Conscience

Annalise Marie Hope awoke in the night, crying. Slowly, her mother opened the door and peaked in. "Oh Anna…" she walked over and picked up the baby and rocked her back and forth, singing softly. "Green finch and linnet bird, nightingale, blackbird. How is it you sing?"

Baby Annalise calmed down and petted her mother's long, curly hair that hung over her shoulders.

Anthony stood at the door, watching his wife and daughter with a fond smile. Johanna looked over her shoulder and smiled when she saw him. She motioned for him to come, and pressed her finger to her lips. He crossed the room and put an arm around his wife.

"Shh, she's asleep." Warned Johanna with a smile. Both parents stood in silence, smiling at their baby girl.

Anthony began to whisper-sing.

"I have sailed the world,

Beheld it's wonders, but

I'm still amazed at the greatest wonder yet…

Ah, miss.

Look at her, look at her,

Pale and ivory-skinned,

Have you ever seen, ever seen

Such a wondrous sight?

Who would sail the world for all its wonders?

When here in your arms sleeps the greatest wonder yet?

Annalise Marie Hope…

Ah, miss,

Ah, miss…"

Gently, Johanna laid Annalise down in her bassinet. Johanna took Anthony's hand. "Come on, it's late. Let's get back to sleep."

"Yes, but first I just…need some fresh air."

"Alright…" she watched as Anthony opened their glass French doors and stepped out onto their little balcony. He was acting so strange lately.

Anthony stood out on the balcony for a long time, looking out at Paris. City of lights, city of love. A light breeze stirred the air around him. No doubt that this was the life he'd wanted. He was happily wed in France, with a beautiful wife and a perfect daughter. He had everything he ever wanted.

So why wasn't he happy?

_Johanna and Anthony fled down Fleet Street in silent terror. They ran all the way to the docks, where Anthony had a boat waiting for them. The sailed away, watching London slip over the horizon. _

_One sentence rang clear in Anthony's mind from the last time he stood on those docks._

"_You are young._

_Life has been kind to you._

_You will learn."_

_He held Johanna close as she cried on his shoulder. It was cold night, and the sea tossed restlessly. He had sailed the world, beheld its wonders. Yes, the cruelty of men was as wondrous as Peru. But there's no place like London. _

_There's a hole in the world like a great black pit_

_Whose morals aren't worth what a pig could spit_

_And the vermin of the world inhabit it._

_And it goes by the name of London. _

"_Never again," Anthony swore "Never again will I return." He looked down into Johanna's eyes. "We'll run away, we won't look back! We'll forget this place and start over, yes? We'll still be married on Sunday…married on Sunday." He hung his head and held her closer. _

"Anthony?" Johanna tore him from his thoughts. "Come inside, it's cold." Thunder rumbled in the distance. She walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Anthony? You've been acting so strange lately. What's the matter?"

"I have to do something, Johanna."

"What are you talking about?"

"We have to call the police, he must be stopped."

"Wha--"

"People are dying, Johanna!"

Johanna gazed into Anthony's eyes. "You said we would start over. You said we could forget all this!"

"You know as well as I that we can't."

Johanna walked over and held on to the rail of the French balcony and stared out at the city of lights. Suddenly, sharply, she looked straight at Anthony. "He'll kill us, Anthony."

"You'll stay here."

"No! If--"

"Yes. You must take care of Annalise."

"She needs her father too! She's hardly a year old, Anthony. She needs a father."

Anthony looked in the window at his daughter, sleeping peacefully. "…I'll stay."

Johanna hugged him in relief. He held her close.

"For now, at least."

There was a sailor and his wife,

And she was beautiful

A foolish sailor and his wife.

She was his reason, and his life.

And she was beautiful

And she was virtuous…

And he…was…

Naïve.


	6. Haunts

Chapter 6: Haunts

Years passed, and Toby got taller and his voice got deeper. His hair stayed pale and he never grew out of his accent or limp. Yet he grew to be more and more like Sweeney each day. Same pale skin, same dark eyes.

Nine years bled by, everyday the same. Toby was 21 now. He'd stopped singing for the pies. He only sung at night, alone in the dark. He'd open the harpsichord and sing alone. He never touched a key, just sat there, as if he expected a light and happy tune to echo up from the dusty keys. "Nothin's gonna harm you, not while I'm around…"

He drove himself mad with that song. He'd sit on the bench, rocking back and forth and singing. He'd sing late into the night, then fall to the floor or go out to Mrs. Lovett's grave and fall dead asleep.

He couldn't cry anymore.

He made his way through each day. He felt at peace during the day, and there was plenty of work to occupy his mind. Nights were restless. He was always afraid. Not of night or darkness, but of Mr. Todd. He'd killed him with his own hands, but that didn't stop Sweeney from haunting Toby's thoughts.

Sitting outside by Mrs. Lovett's grave in the smoky moonlight, shadows surrounded him. Passing through the wisps of smoke, he could swear he saw the silhouette of a barber, razor in hand.

Whenever Tobias saw himself in a mirror, he saw Mr. Todd. More than anything in the world, Toby hated Mr. Todd.

Toby banished Mr. Todd from this world.

More than anything in the world, Tobias hated himself.

Annalise had a happy life. Her parents loved her dearly, and they loved each other. She was their treasure.

Their happy life seemed to be overcast by something. Oh she was a lucky child, sailing in the summer, kite-flying in the spring. She had beautiful dresses and many toys, and the loveliest voice in all the world. She sketched birds for her mother and played piano for her father. Her parents sang and smiled often, but every now and then they would look at each other with dark eyes.

Some nights, when Anna got up for a drink of water, she would see her father standing on the balcony. He looked so sad, standing there all alone. She didn't dare go out to him, it scared her to see her father without his bright smile.

She was nine years old, old enough to know that there was some secret between her parents. Something bad was haunting her family, like a curse…

Or a ghost…

Her parents tried so hard to give her happiness. There was no question there, Anna certainly was happy. She could see how hard they tried to hide their mysterious sorrows from her, and she would never ask them about their secrets.

But she did intend to find out all their secrets. She could sense the story behind it all, she knew her parents could not have possibly had ordinary happy lives. She knew their lives were nothing like the sunny life they gave her.

Happy and content, miss Anna did not pry. She daydreamed and wondered while she lay in the grass and watched clouds roll by.

Anthony looked out the window at his daughter, lying in the grass. "She looks just like you." He said, smiling at his wife.

"She's getting tall for her age." Said Johanna, looking up at Anthony. He laughed.

"So she is."

Anthony and Johanna protected their daughter from every evil. But no matter how happy they acted, how merrily they laughed…

There was always that shadow in the back of their minds…

Telling them that there would be no happily ever after.

All the could do was smile and watch their pretty little daughter laugh and play, and in her dancing childhood try and forget the tale of a barber on Fleet Street.

A light wind ruffled Tobias's pale hair, and he looked up from his pies to the white fluffy clouds rolling by overhead.

He smiled to himself, the busy noises of the trade around him fading away. He could still hear his mum's voice over all the customers. "To-BY!"

"Coming, s'cuse me, coming mum…" he whispered under his breath. "I wish you could see me, mum. I've grown up so big and tall." He laughed to himself. "I'm probably taller than you now." Tobias had outgrown his old clothes. Now he wore Mr. Todd's clothes, along with his white coat. "Oh mum…I do hope you're proud of me."

He opened his eyes. He could hear Him too.

"Tooobyyy…"

Day after day, days bleed into nights. Pies sold, men died, and Tobias trudged down the road of life with a razor in hand and Mr. Todd alive within him.


	7. Changing Winds

Chapter 7: Changing Winds

Thunder rolled across the night sky. A light rain drizzled over the maze of Paris streets. Anthony lay awake next to Johanna. He rolled onto his side and curled one of her long blonde curls around his finger.

"I love you, Johanna…

I love you.

Promise me you'll stay here, happy

Staying safe here with my daughter

I wish I could say I'd return

Buried sweetly in your yellow hair…"

He kissed Johanna on the forehead and got out of bed. He got dressed, then headed for the door. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. Quickly and quietly he went to his daughter's room.

He silently knelt at her bedside. Her long, blonde curls fell lightly over her sleeping face. He gently tucked a curl or two behind her ear. " My Anna. How you've grown. I love you, Anna. Please don't hate me for leaving. I tried so hard to forget, all I wanted was to stay here with you, watch you grow and play. I wanted to protect you, I wanted to shield you from every tear the world could ever deal you. My darling, I wish I could promise to return to you one day, but I don't want to have to break it. I do not know what lies ahead for me in London, but I do know that I can not stand by any longer." Tears burned in Anthony's eyes. "Please forgive me, Anna. I love you so much. Stay safe and happy here with your mother, and I'll do everything I can to come back soon." Anna stirred in her sleep. Anthony cooed softly to her.

"And we'll sail the world, and see its wonders.

From the pearls of Spain, to the rubies of Tibet…"

He kissed her forehead lightly.

"And I'll come home to Paris…someday."

Anthony slung his bag over his shoulders and left his home, not knowing if he would ever return.

Toby stumbled out the back door in the early morning light. His breathing was heavy and irregular, and he stumbled wildly through a haze of tears. He fell beside Mrs. Lovett's grave.

"How could you leave me behind, mum? How could you?" he yelled madly. "It was you, you locked me out here! You locked me here in the bake house because you knew I was right! I was right about Mr. Todd and you didn't want to believe it!" Toby laid his head on the ground, weary from his own fury. He'd woken up from all too familiar nightmares, reliving that fateful night, and piecing together what exactly happened. "I knew the truth…you chose Mr. Todd over me. How could you, mum?"

"How could you chose Mr. Todd over me?"

Toby shook with pain and anger. "Would you pick me, now that I've become Mr. Todd? Am I worthy?" Toby rolled over onto his back, looking at the pale gray sky. "You told me nothing would harm me as long as you were here. You're gone, and I'm alone. Why am I still here? Why was I spared, why didn't you take me with you?"

Toby stood shakily. He looked around at the bake house, at the kingdom he had inherited. The rusty blades in the grinder, the black smoke that blotted out the pure morning sky, the grounds where only blood rained down and money was made at the expense of other meaningless lives, all this was his.

Tucked away on Fleet Street there's a small building where meat pies are sold, and people walk in for a shave but never come out again. There's a tiny home with something wrong inside it. There's a man who's still just a boy at heart, and he's haunted by ghostly shadows of long past tragedies. He kills and kills, and he's not sure why. What kind of life has he known?

What other life has he known?

A man came in for a shave. It was routine, Toby could kill a man without a thought. But on this day, he stopped short, the razor less than an inch from the man's throat.

"…something wrong, boy?" the man asked after a few seconds.

The voice startled Toby and he slit the man's throat. He pulled the lever and the body slid down the wicked trapdoor where so many others met their end. He looked at the razor in wonder.

Of course, the answer had been here in his hand all along…


	8. Swirling Clouds

Chapter 8: Swirling Clouds

Anthony stood at the wheel of a small ship. The boat rose high and smacked down to the water as the waves got bigger and bigger. Lightning ripped across the sky and Anthony's blonde hair whipped across his face. The veins on his hands stood out as he gripped the wheel tightly. Sheets of rain draped over the ship as Anthony fought the wind. The boat sped over the choppy ocean on its way to London one last time.

Tobias closed the shop early. He trudged down the rickety wooden steps of the cellar to work on the bodies. Once down the steps, he stopped. The door at the top blew shut in the wind and darkness enveloped him. He was falling, crying, screaming, running away…

Suddenly he was on the floor. He was breathing hard. What just happened? He sat up, feeling worn out but otherwise normal. For a second, he just felt out of control. Like a million things were happening at once.

"Where are you hiding?"

Tobias's heart raced and his emotions whirled out of control once more. "Mrs. Lovett!" he cried wildly as he raced up the old stairs. "I'm here I'm here, I'm coming Mrs. Lovett!" He shot out of the door and raced across the yard. He tripped and fell, he couldn't run very well. He laid there, face streaked with tears. "Don't leave me here!"

"Toby!"

Her voice echoed from all directions.

"Toby!"

Toby screamed, desperation choking his voice. "I'm here! Come to me mum, I don't know where you are!"

"Toby!"

Toby passed out in the grass of the bake house as thunder rumbled overhead and rain began to fall.

That morning rain continued to pour over Fleet Street. Few customers would brave the weather today anyway, so Tobias never opened up shop. He sat alone in the dark, watching the rectangle of light from the window as it streamed tears and lightning flared in it's melting plane of grey on a black floor. He looked at the razor lying on the harpsichord. The thought of death fascinated him. Suicide. The razor was the way Mr. Todd had intended to kill Toby.

The thought of Mr. Todd engulfed Toby with rage. No, he refused to die that way.

How had Mrs. Lovett died?

He looked up at the window and at the bake house. The bake oven stood, waterfalls of rain washing over it.

Fire.

Lightning flashed and Johanna's eyes shot open. She was breathing hard and shaking. She rubbed her eyes. "Oh Anthony, I had the most terrible dream --" she rolled over. "Anthony?"

Lightning flashed again, the window making criss-crossed patterns on the white sheets where Anthony should have been laying.

She got out of bed, pulling on a white lacy robe. He was probably in the kitchen making breakfast, or out on the balcony again. She went from room to room, speeding up with each empty room she found. She threw open the balcony doors.

"He's gone!" She cried, a sob beginning in her voice.

"Mommy?"

Johanna turned, tears sparkling in her pale blue eyes. Annalise stood there in a lacy pink night gown that was a bit too long for her, so it dragged along behind her. "I think I know where Daddy is."

"Where?" asked Johanna, running to her little daughter. Her eyes widened with fear of the answer, fear that she already knew where it was Anthony went.

Down on the Paris docks, a woman arrived with her daughter, both dressed in warm coats. The woman held the girl's hand tight as they stumbled through the rain. She called over the storm to a man leaning against a big crate. "I need a boat to London," she pulled out a handful of cash. "As soon as possible!"


End file.
